Hydraulic cylinder in-place signal stabilizing circuit and automated equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to electronic technical field especially is related to a kind of hydraulic cylinder in-place signal stable circuit and automation equipment, and the circuit includes: relay module, contains first relay and second relay.After receiving hydraulic cylinder retreat in-place signal, first relay is powered on, to switch on self-locking loop and self-locking maintenance, even if piston micron level springback makes sensor disconnect, in-place signal still continues stable output, to eliminate false alarm or shutdown;Meanwhile, the pure mechanical structure distinguishes real failure (cannot trigger self-locking) and physical springback (self-locking maintenance) by self-locking establishment state intelligence, avoid the defect that existing delay filter technology covers up failure, and only two standard relays can be compatible with existing system, realize zero-cost modification, comprehensively improve equipment stability and production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit and automation equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In industrial automation control systems, hydraulic cylinders, as core actuators, are widely used in metallurgy, injection molding, and construction machinery. However, after long-term operation, hydraulic cylinders inevitably experience problems such as seal wear and piston rod scratches, leading to internal leakage. While slight internal leakage may not affect the basic function of the hydraulic cylinder, in high-precision position control systems, it can cause the piston to rebound slightly after reaching the end of its stroke, resulting in a momentary loss of position detection signals (such as proximity switch and limit switch signals).

[0003] In automated production lines, the positioning signal of a hydraulic cylinder is typically a critical input to a PLC or control system, used to trigger the next action (such as reversing, clamping, or transferring). If internal leakage causes instability in the positioning signal, the control system may misjudge that the hydraulic cylinder is not in position, leading to equipment downtime, erratic operation, or even safety risks. Traditional solutions usually rely on replacing the hydraulic cylinder seals or replacing the entire hydraulic cylinder, which not only increases maintenance costs but also causes production interruptions and affects efficiency.

[0004] In existing technologies, some systems employ delay filtering or signal holding circuits to mitigate signal jitter. However, these methods cannot fundamentally distinguish between actual rebound and mechanical faults, and may cause control response lag due to fixed delays. Furthermore, in high-speed automated systems, simply increasing the delay may affect cycle time and reduce production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit and an automated device.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit, including:

[0007] The relay module includes a first relay and a second relay;

[0008] The self-locking circuit is triggered by the hydraulic cylinder retracting signal output from the output terminal of the retracting position sensor, which closes the normally open contact of the first relay to conduct the electrical connection between the positive power supply, the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay, and the negative power supply, thus forming a self-locking circuit that maintains the continuous validity of the retracting position signal.

[0009] The first set of normally open contacts of the first relay is connected in parallel between the output terminal of the retracted position sensor and the coil of the first relay.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, the coil of the second relay is connected to the hydraulic cylinder forward control signal source; when a forward control signal is received, the coil of the second relay is energized, the normally closed contact of the second relay is opened, and the self-locking state of the first relay is forcibly released.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, the forward control signal source is connected to the coil of the second relay through an isolation diode.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, the second set of normally open contacts of the first relay is connected to the control system to output a stable hydraulic cylinder retraction position status signal.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, the second normally open contact of the first relay is also connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, for transmitting the level signal output from the positive terminal of the power supply to the digital input module of the control system.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, when the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay is closed, even if the output terminal of the retracted sensor is disconnected due to the rebound of the hydraulic cylinder piston, the self-locking circuit still independently maintains the current path through the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, so that the first relay remains energized.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, the first and second relays are powered by isolated DC power supplies, and a fuse protection element is provided in the power supply circuit.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, the first and second relays are double-contact intermediate relays with a contact capacity of at least 5A.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide an automated device, characterized in that it includes at least one hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit as described above.

[0018] This application provides a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit and an automated device. The circuit includes: a relay module comprising a first relay and a second relay; and a self-locking circuit triggered by a hydraulic cylinder retraction positioning signal output from the output terminal of a retraction positioning sensor, which closes the normally open contact of the first relay to connect the positive terminal of the power supply, the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay, and the negative terminal of the power supply, forming a self-locking circuit that maintains the continuous validity of the retraction positioning signal; wherein, the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay is connected in parallel between the output terminal of the retraction positioning sensor and the coil of the first relay.

[0019] The hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit provided in this application, through a circuit architecture constructed by a first relay and a second relay, energizes the first relay upon receiving the hydraulic cylinder retracting positioning signal to activate the self-locking circuit and maintain self-locking. Even if the piston rebounds at a micron level, causing the sensor to disconnect, the positioning signal continues to be output stably, thus eliminating false alarms or machine shutdowns. At the same time, this purely mechanical structure intelligently distinguishes between real faults (failure to trigger self-locking) and physical rebound (self-locking maintenance) through the self-locking establishment state, avoiding the defects of existing delay filtering technology in masking faults. Moreover, it only requires two standard relays to be compatible with existing systems, achieving zero-cost modification and comprehensively improving equipment stability and production efficiency.

[0020] Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention are realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings.

[0021] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit provided by this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the current flow of the circuit in this utility model when triggered by a signal indicating that the hydraulic cylinder has retracted to its position.

[0025] Figure 3 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the current flow direction of the circuit when it is triggered by a forward control signal. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0027] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, the application scenarios and design concepts of this application embodiment will be briefly introduced below.

[0028] Existing methods use time-delay filtering or signal holding circuits to alleviate signal jitter problems, but these methods cannot fundamentally distinguish between real rebound and mechanical failure, and may cause control response lag due to fixed delays.

[0029] Based on this, this application provides a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit and an automated device.

[0030] Example 1

[0031] This application provides a hydraulic cylinder position signal stabilization circuit, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the circuit includes a relay module and a self-locking circuit.

[0032] The relay module includes a first relay and a second relay.

[0033] The self-locking circuit is triggered by the hydraulic cylinder retraction signal output from the output terminal of the retraction sensor, which closes the normally open contact of the first relay to conduct the electrical connection between the positive terminal of the power supply, the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay, and the negative terminal of the power supply, thus forming a self-locking circuit that maintains the continuous validity of the retraction signal.

[0034] Among them, the first set of normally open contacts KA1-1 of the first relay KA1 is connected in parallel between the output terminal of the retracted position sensor and the coil of the first relay KA1.

[0035] This circuit architecture is based on the coordinated design of the first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2. When the hydraulic cylinder performs a backward movement and reaches the preset position, the backward positioning sensor A triggers a positioning signal, causing the first relay KA1 to be energized and immediately activating the self-locking circuit. This self-locking mechanism continuously maintains the circuit state, ensuring a continuous and stable output of the positioning signal even when the piston experiences micron-level rebound (such as mechanical backlash causing the sensor to briefly disconnect), thereby avoiding false alarms or system shutdowns caused by momentary signal loss.

[0036] Combination Figure 1As shown, "KA1-1" represents the first normally open contact of the first relay, "KA1-2" represents the second normally open contact of the first relay, and "KA1" with a frame represents the coil of the first relay; "KA2" represents the normally closed contact of the second relay, and "KA2" with a frame represents the coil of the second relay; "+" represents the positive terminal of the power supply, "-" represents the negative terminal of the power supply, "A" represents the retraction positioning sensor, and "B" represents the forward control signal source of the hydraulic cylinder.

[0037] Upon receiving a signal indicating that the hydraulic cylinder has retracted to its position, the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay is triggered to close, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the positive power supply, the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay, and the negative power supply. See the detailed reference below. Figure 2 The straight line in the diagram indicates the direction of current flow. At this time, the current simultaneously flows through the sensor path (a loop consisting of the positive terminal of the power supply, the retraction sensor, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay, and the negative terminal of the power supply, connected in sequence) and the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay (i.e., the aforementioned self-locking circuit). Simultaneously, when the hydraulic cylinder retraction signal is received, the retraction sensor A closes, and the current can also flow along... Figure 2 The direction of flow is indicated by the dashed arrow.

[0038] In this way, even if the output of the retracted position sensor A no longer outputs the hydraulic cylinder retracted position signal (for example, when the piston rebounds, the retracted position sensor A is disconnected), the current will automatically switch to the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay of the self-locking circuit to keep the coil continuously energized, thereby avoiding false alarms or accidental shutdowns.

[0039] Understandably, if the hydraulic cylinder is not in the correct position, the output of the retraction sensor A cannot send a signal indicating that the hydraulic cylinder has retracted to the correct position. In this case, the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay cannot be triggered to close, and therefore a self-locking circuit cannot be established. Whether the hydraulic cylinder has retracted to the correct position can be determined based on whether a self-locking circuit has been successfully established, which helps to quickly locate the cause of the fault.

[0040] The embodiments of this application modify the control circuit by using standard relays, which can be compatible with all hydraulic cylinders, thereby effectively controlling production costs.

[0041] In conjunction with the first aspect, the coil of the second relay is connected to the hydraulic cylinder forward control signal source B; when the forward control signal is received, the coil of the second relay KA2 is energized, the normally closed contact KA2 of the second relay KA2 is opened, and the self-locking state of the first relay KA1 is forcibly released.

[0042] In this embodiment, if the forward control signal source sends a forward control signal, the coil of the second relay KA2 is energized and the normally closed contact of the second relay opens. At this time, the self-locking circuit is cut off, thereby forcibly releasing the self-locking state of the first relay KA1. It can be understood that the contact opening and closing action time of the relay is usually on the order of milliseconds. Compared with the PLC control in the prior art, it can effectively reduce the time delay and realize the signal jitter-free switching of the entire process from the termination of the hydraulic cylinder's backward movement to the start of forward movement.

[0043] Specifically, in combination Figure 3 The diagram shows the current flow. In this case, the current flows sequentially through the positive terminal of the power supply, the coil of the second relay KA2, and the negative terminal of the power supply. It is understandable that the self-locking circuit requires the hydraulic cylinder to be fully retracted before a retraction signal can be sent, thus activating the self-locking circuit. Therefore, after the self-lock is released, the cylinder must be fully retracted to re-lock. This forces the detection of the hydraulic cylinder's reset state; that is, if the self-locking reconstruction fails, the hydraulic cylinder's failure to reset is exposed.

[0044] Therefore, it can completely prevent the mechanical interference risk of "secondary retreat before the retreat is completed" (such as the application of this technology in a certain automobile welding line, which eliminates interference faults).

[0045] In conjunction with the first aspect, the forward control signal source B is connected to the coil of the second relay KA2 through an isolation diode.

[0046] Understandably, the diode only allows current to flow from the signal source to the coil of the second relay KA2, and prohibits reverse current, in order to prevent the reverse electromotive force generated when the coil of the second relay KA2 is de-energized from impacting the control signal source and protecting other devices connected to the control signal source (such as precision controllers such as PLCs or frequency converters).

[0047] It is evident that the coil of the second relay KA2 can only be energized when the forward control signal from the forward control signal source B is valid. Utilizing the mechanical switching characteristics of the KA1 contact, illegal forward commands are blocked at the electrical level. Furthermore, if the second normally open contact KA1-2 of the first relay KA1 fails to close due to aging, the forward function will be locked, the equipment will stop, and an alarm will sound, thus preventing "false forward movement."

[0048] In conjunction with the first aspect, the second normally open contact KA1-2 of the first relay KA1 is connected to the control system to output a stable hydraulic cylinder retraction position status signal.

[0049] In conjunction with the first aspect, the second normally open contact KA1-2 of the first relay KA1 is also connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, for transmitting the level signal output from the positive terminal of the power supply to the digital input module of the control system (in conjunction with the "PLC" shown in the figure).

[0050] The second normally open contact KA1-2 of the first relay KA1 is connected in series with the positive terminal of the power supply and then connected to the digital input module (such as the DI module of a PLC) of the control system. When the hydraulic cylinder retracts to its position, the retraction position sensor signal is activated, the coil of the first relay KA1 is energized, and the first set of normally open contacts KA1-1 of the first relay KA1 closes to form a self-locking circuit; the second set of contacts KA1-2 of the first relay KA1 closes simultaneously, directly transmitting the high-level signal from the positive terminal of the power supply to the control system, indicating that "the hydraulic cylinder has reliably reached its position".

[0051] In conjunction with the first aspect, when the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay KA1 is closed, even if the output terminal of the retracted position sensor A is disconnected due to the rebound of the hydraulic cylinder piston, the self-locking circuit still independently maintains the current path through the first normally open contact KA1-1 of the first relay KA1, so that the first relay KA1 remains energized.

[0052] In conjunction with the first aspect, the first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2 are powered by an isolated DC power supply, and a fuse protection element is provided in the power supply circuit.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2 are powered by independent DC power supply modules, or the two power supplies are electrically isolated by an isolation transformer. An independent fuse is connected in series in each relay power supply circuit. The fuse is located between the positive terminal of the power supply and the relay coil. The rated current of the fuse is slightly higher than the operating current of the relay coil (e.g., if the coil operating current is 50mA, the fuse is selected as 100mA) to ensure that the fuse does not trip during normal operation and melts quickly (usually <50ms) in case of short circuit or overload.

[0054] With isolated power supply and fuse protection, short circuits in the first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2 only affect their own circuits, rather than causing a complete system failure; transient voltages from external devices (such as motors and frequency converters) do not affect other circuits. Furthermore, simply replacing the fuse restores the circuit to its original position, eliminating the need to stop the main power supply for maintenance, making maintenance convenient.

[0055] In conjunction with the first aspect, the first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2 are double-contact intermediate relays with a contact capacity of at least 5A.

[0056] The first relay KA1 and the second relay KA2 may also include one or two sets of independent contacts. If one set of contacts in the first relay KA1 or the second relay KA2 fails due to aging, an independent set of contacts can be used to replace the original contacts to maintain basic functions, thereby improving fault tolerance. The rated current of each set of contacts is at least 5A, which can support the control of solenoid valves below 24V / 5A and extend the control of higher power loads through solid-state relays (SSRs).

[0057] Secondly, this application also provides an automated device that includes the aforementioned hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit.

[0058] The automated equipment described in this application uses a hydraulic cylinder as the core actuator and integrates the aforementioned control circuit (with a dual-contact intermediate relay as the core) to achieve precise control and signal stability.

[0059] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the system and apparatus described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0061] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0062] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely specific implementations of this utility model, used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model, and not to limit it. The protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features, within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model. These modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, and should all be covered within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A hydraulic cylinder in place signal stabilization circuit, characterized by, include: The relay module includes a first relay and a second relay; The self-locking circuit is triggered by the hydraulic cylinder retraction signal output from the output terminal of the retraction sensor, which closes the normally open contact of the first relay to conduct the electrical connection between the positive power supply, the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, the coil of the first relay, the normally closed contact of the second relay and the negative power supply, thus forming a self-locking circuit that maintains the continuous validity of the retraction signal. The first set of normally open contacts of the first relay is connected in parallel between the output terminal of the retracted position sensor and the coil of the first relay.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein, The coil of the second relay is connected to the hydraulic cylinder forward control signal source; when a forward control signal is received, the coil of the second relay is energized, the normally closed contact of the second relay is opened, and the self-locking state of the first relay is forcibly released.

3. The circuit of claim 2, wherein, The forward control signal source is connected to the coil of the second relay via an isolation diode.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein, The second set of normally open contacts of the first relay is connected to the control system to output a stable signal indicating that the hydraulic cylinder has retracted to its position.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein, The second normally open contact of the first relay is also connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, for transmitting the level signal output from the positive terminal of the power supply to the digital input module of the control system.

6. The circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay are closed, even if the output terminal of the retraction sensor is disconnected due to the rebound of the hydraulic cylinder piston, the self-locking circuit still maintains the current path independently through the first set of normally open contacts of the first relay, so that the first relay remains energized.

7. The circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first relay and the second relay are powered by an isolated DC power supply, and a fuse protection element is provided in the power supply circuit.

8. The circuit according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first relay and the second relay are dual-contact intermediate relays with a contact capacity of at least 5A.

9. An automated device, characterized in that, It includes at least one hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder positioning signal stabilization circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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